Shots fired while group campaigns

CEBU, Philippines - A political gathering in Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City last Friday night was disrupted by gunshots reportedly fired by four men near the sports complex where the activity was being held.

Rodrigo Ocampo, who was running for barangay captain, said no one was hurt, but everyone who attended the miting de avance scattered and went away, as if this was the suspects’ aim.

“Nabungkag g’yud ang among activity gabii, wala na’y namalik. Sayo nahuman (Our activity was disrupted. We finished early because no one returned to the area),” Ocampo said. He is running under the team of Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas Osmeña.

The activity started 8:30 p.m. and the gunshots were fired at past 9 p.m. when councilatorial aspirant Loche Amor Ponce was speaking.

Ocampo said he still saw two of the four men fire two shots – on the ground and toward the ceiling of the basketball court. The suspects then fled towards St. Jude Acres and fired one last shot.

The four men, he said, were wearing caps and concealed their faces with a handkerchief.

Ocampo said they had the incident reported at the Pardo Police Station and submitted a copy of the police blotter to the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Cebu City North District Election Officer Marchel Sarno received the copy, Ocampo said.

Pardo Police Chief Zaldy Gokotano said they are yet to verify the incident since the alleged assailants were not identified and there were no empty bullet shells recovered from the area.

Initial investigation disclosed that a group of young men were reportedly engaged in a fight near the area, which ended with gunshots fired at each other.

“Wala g’yuy tumong na sila ang ig-on,” Gokotano said, adding, that the political situation in Inayawan and other barangays under his jurisdiction is orderly.

Gokotano said police personnel would have been deployed to the area had Ocampo’s camp secured a permit for the miting de avance.

Ocampo said they got a permit from the barangay. He also said that contrary to the police’s initial findings, the suspects did not aim at each other.

While he did not mention names, Ocampo said he suspects that the incident was their rivals’ doing.

“Init man gud kaayo ang pamulitika diri (This is a hotly contested area),” he said. —  (FREEMAN)